[AlphaLambda]

I'm a light mobile phone user, and new to Blackberry in particular.

My current phone is very plain and I'm on a pay-go plan (7-eleven).

If I get a Blackberry Bold 9900 will it in any way consume minutes without my explicitly initiating an operation; by downloading and updating applications, or maintaining GPS location, for example?

[serbanescu]

It will not consume minutes of talk time without you initiating a call.

[AlphaLambda]

First, thank you for the fast, fast, answer.
That settles it, the Bold 9900 is the best mobile phone (for me) I have been able to find after researching this for about two weeks.
The new Classic looks very promising for someone who is less concerned about size and more likely to use more apps than me.

[serbanescu]

On the other hand, as far as I know, you will not have access to the Internet on a BBOS 7 device (like the Bold 9900) unless your plan includes BIS (see what BIS is here: What is BlackBerry Internet Service?).

BB10 devices don't require BIS in order to access the Internet.

[Banco]

You can turn the GPS location off by the way.

The BBOS phones were excellent at minimising data useage compared to virtually anything else - if that's your concern, you've made a good choice.

[serbanescu]

Here it is a comprehensive list of features that still work on a Bold 9900 in the absence of a BIS plan: Dear Berry: How can I use a BlackBerry without BIS? | CrackBerry.com

[AlphaLambda]

I just arrived back home and finished reading the links here, and got some information from my carrier, speakout7eleven.ca.

So, I still think I'm in pretty good shape with the 9900.

The carrier representative didn't know if they supported BIS; but if they did, there would be some additional charge to the $25 per year pay-go price I'm paying now. I'll be using the phone for very infrequent sent and received calls.

Occasionally, it would be useful to access the internet away from home to get a piece of information. Wi-Fi at a McDonald's or Tim Horton's or similar site is easily good enough for me.

The other feature that would sometimes be handy is GPS. Do I need a data plan for this or something else, or does the phone just work like a dedicated GPS device? A previous post stated that the 9900 can turn it off. Would the reason for turning it off only be to save battery charge, or is there some other reason too?

[MobileMadness002]

If it tries to download maps off WiFi, it would not function. Maps are not stored locally.

[howarmat]

i highly doubt you will get BIS with that provider. You wont get any data if that is the case.

[AlphaLambda]

Does "no data" (due to no BIS) mean that I will not be able to access the Internet through Wi-Fi, and I won't be able to get my current GPS coordinate, say to make note of or to stamp a photo?

[KenFletch]

Without BIS which is a data plan that passes through thw BlackBerry swevwrs and compresses thw data you will have a nice phone that will also do text messaging.

BBM will not work. The browser, fb, twitter and most other comm apps that comr from BlackBerry will also not work as they are BIS dependent.

Sometimes if you turn off your phone service these might work.

Location services also use BIS and cell tower locations so wont work. Anyways maps data will have to pass through BIS too.

So you get a nice feature phone but not a smartphone.

Get a refurbished Z10 or Q10 and pay as you go data. You will be able to use the apps you want ans keep the price down

Btw BIS Is great. Wish it was available to me. The compression was great but when unavailable the phone loses most functions

HTC TOUCH, Nokia-N97, BlackBerry Torch 9800, Z10

[goodayeh]

The Bold is a very efficient device.
Efficient because it is coupled with BIS. Without it just isn't complete.

If you want to use a device without a data plan and occasionally use WIFI.
A BB10 would be the better choice.

[Hai Bo]

Does "no data" (due to no BIS) mean that I will not be able to access the Internet through Wi-Fi, and I won't be able to get my current GPS coordinate, say to make note of or to stamp a photo?

'No data' means you will not be able to access the internet via the carrier network. You can still access the internet through Wi-Fi where Wi-Fi is accessible. AFAIK, the GPS function on your 9900 passively receives signal so it works whether you have a data plan or not.

[KenFletch]

'No data' means you will not be able to access the internet via the carrier network. You can still access the internet through Wi-Fi where Wi-Fi is accessible. AFAIK, the GPS function on your 9900 passively receives signal so it works whether you have a data plan or not.

Have you tried ?

With wireless on it will try to use BIS and fail. To use it only on wifi you will have to turn wireless off. No phone fonction. Just turning data off doesn't do it. Them browser and some apps will work.

HTC TOUCH, Nokia-N97, BlackBerry Torch 9800, Z10

[Hai Bo]

Have you tried ?

With wireless on it will try to use BIS and fail. To use it only on wifi you will have to turn wireless off. No phone fonction. Just turning data off doesn't do it. Them browser and some apps will work.

HTC TOUCH, Nokia-N97, BlackBerry Torch 9800, Z10

Ah, I don't use BIS, though BIS is available. Other things may work differently in my country. I mean the data plan, accessing internet, and so on.

[ZeroBarrier]

Ah, I don't use BIS, though BIS is available. Other things may work differently in my country. I mean the data plan, accessing internet, and so on.

Regardless of how differently things work in your country, any and all BlackBerry BBOS7 devices and under require BIS to access the internet, that's a global requirement for those BlackBerry devices.

Posted via CB10

[bradpromac]

I'm a light mobile phone user, and new to Blackberry in particular.

My current phone is very plain and I'm on a pay-go plan (7-eleven).

If I get a Blackberry Bold 9900 will it in any way consume minutes without my explicitly initiating an operation; by downloading and updating applications, or maintaining GPS location, for example?

One of my kids uses my old unlocked Torch with the 7/11 sim card. Speak out right? He uses it just fine on wifi but he did have to change the APN settings in it. Those settings can be found on the speakout7eleven(dot)ca site.



AmaZ30ed

[AlphaLambda]

I've once again been told verbally by my carrier, speakout7eleven.ca, that they probably do not support BIS. As a follow-up for a more definitive answer I wrote them an e-mail with the same question and haven't yet received a reply. The carrier uses Rogers towers, but I don't think that changes anything.

Not being able to access the Internet would not remove the 9900 from my preferred phone. It's signal reception, voice quality, overall quality, and smaller size are enough to make it best for me right now. Will probably start using text messaging too, which makes the 9900 an even easier decision.

I understand from this thread that I will be able to read my GPS coordinates without a data plan, which was the basic information I was seeking. If I couldn't, that's the only thing that would make me possibly reconsider.

I've learnt a few other things from the thread too.

Thank you everybody. Much appreciated.

[pkcable]

You might have a better BB experience with a Q5, or Q10 which have the BB10 software and do not require a BIS connection for full function.

[goodayeh]

Have you looked at other pay as you go options , that support BIS ?

( instead of 7 / 11 )

[AlphaLambda]

I have looked at other phone brands and other Blackberry models, but that 9900 really stands out. The Internet access is something I can do without, but there are suggestions here that I might just be able to have that too via Wi-Fi if I get the settings correct.
I'm with my current carrier because it only costs me $ 25 per year, which accumulates as long as I top up within a year of the last top-up. I'm not aware of any plan here that comes even close. Buying anything more would simply be a waste at this point. But once I know what I'm missing, maybe I'll look into the options people have mentioned here.
Might make those changes after the new Classic is available.

[goodayeh]

The Q10 would be a better choice for your needs.

When you use it on WIFI everything is available to you. ( email , bbm and other apps that need the internet )

With the bold , you can use WIFI but are limited.
( native email , bbm and other apps would not work )

[AlphaLambda]

It very well might be the case that I'll use the 9900 only until the Classic comes out, and by then realize that those other features are worth an upgrade to the new OS and maybe carriers.

Thanks again for all the information and suggestions.

[Hai Bo]

Regardless of how differently things work in your country, any and all BlackBerry BBOS7 devices and under require BIS to access the internet, that's a global requirement for those BlackBerry devices.

Posted via CB10

The carriers here provide of APN usernames and passwords. I just use them after enabling APN setting and authentication. Registering or unregistering for a data package is done by dialing certain number on the phone. I've been using internet this way with my BBRY OS phones since the Bold 9000, no BIS at all.

[AlphaLambda]

I received the following response from SpeakOut:

"SpeakOut Wireless does not support or offer BIS services: